My perception of Amazons was wrong.

[AnarchoBoxer]

The shopkeepers said he is about 25.

[Pajarita]

Well, I would like to know for a fact what kind of diet and life he has because, a male kept in a shop (no good light source, no good light schedule), and at his age, should be showing some aggression during breeding season even if he is a sweetheart the rest of the year. It would be the normal thing for a healthy male hormonal amazon at his prime. At least, that has been my experience (I've had eleven) and what all other owners of amazons comment on birdsites (which is, most likely, what you have seen in the past). But, who knows, he could very well be the exception to the rule.

[AnarchoBoxer]

At any rate, I don't think I am intimidated by Amazons anymore. Besides, their bites can't be worse than the Grey I've been tagged by.

[liz]

Rambo and Myrtle agree with Wolf.

[liz]

Rambo and Myrtle agree with Wolf.

[AnarchoBoxer]

Rambo looks cute and sweet in that pic. lol of course, I guess all our birds look that way in the pics we choose to show.

[Pajarita]

At any rate, I don't think I am intimidated by Amazons anymore. Besides, their bites can't be worse than the Grey I've been tagged by.

I've never been bitten by a gray although I had six at one time but I've been bitten countless times by the zons (and I am 1,000 times more careful around them than around any other bird, macaws and cockatoos included) and their bites are real bad (I have notches missing from my ears from them). I think that the differences between them and the other species is that, with the exception of a male ekkie, none of them actually went out of their way to attack me on a regular basis while the male zons would. Don't misunderstand me, I love amazons! They are one of my favorite type of parrots for many reasons (great eaters, good bathers, independent, they always like another amazon, etc) but the adult males need to be dealt with very carefully after they reach a certain age and during breeding season. The hens are sweet and the young males are OK but the males in their prime do require a certain amount of respect or will punish you for 'dissing' them -LOL

[AnarchoBoxer]

There's a super cute 36 year old lilac crowned male at a rescue here. If I had the room right now for another huge cage, I'd be tempted to go meet him.

[Wolf]

I also agree with Pajarita about the basic nature of the Amazon parrot, generally speaking the males have a strong tendency to be aggressive. but you do have to allow for the fact that they are all individuals and because of this you may have the occasional male who is less aggressive or the female who is just waiting to remove your face.

Some of you think that my statement is contrary to what Pajarita said but, this is not so Mine and her statements are in agreement with each other because neither is complete without the other. Think about it and I am sure that you will agree.

[Pajarita]

...because of this you may have the occasional male who is less aggressive or the female who is just waiting to remove your face.

LOL - Indeed there are mean, mean female zons. My very first rescue, back in 1992, was such a hen. She was the meanest thing! She would swing the door to her cage open wide and hanging on from the very edge, stretch her entire body out so she could bite you when you walked by it. She also screamed all the time and plucked her chest... but it was because she was so unhappy, the poor thing. It took a while but she turned out to be a complete sweetheart and the perfect companion parrot: no screams, no plucking, good eater, good bather, good talker, sweet-tempered and invariably affectionate. I had to put her down after having her for 18 years due to bone cancer. She was a red lored, her name was Pretty Bird (she came with the name Pistachio but she never reacted at all to this name and I told her she was a 'pretty bird' so often that she thought that was her name -LOL) and she could call my daughter Lara in exactly my own voice to the point that my daughter would think it was me all the time. It's been years and I have other birds to love but I still miss her...